Final Walk-throughs Give Buyers A Chance To Correct Any Flaws

``Punching out`` is a term builders use that means checking out a new house before delivery to the owners. This results in a ``punch list`` of items to be corrected.

After these repairs are made, the builder invites the buyers to a final walk-through. This is a kind of final exam for the builder, who hopes he has done all his ``home work.``

According to Owens, customer service representative for Wiseman-Hughes Enterprises, a Wheaton-based home builder, a walk-through is a hands-on inspection of every square foot of a new residence: both exterior and interior, foundation and framing, painting and drywall, windows and doors, appliances and plumbing, heating and cooling, counters and floors, lighting and landscaping.

Here`s what a typical walk-through is like:

Owens punched out a new house early this month at Timber Oaks at the Fox, a subdivision planned for 213 homes in North Aurora.

Five days later - at 1 p.m. on March 8 - Owens met the new buyers, Margaret and Kirk Erickson, both 22, at their future home. Margaret works for Chicago Title Insurance Co. in Wheaton, and Kirk is a flight instructor for Playmasters Services at Du Page County Airport.

They had selected the Ashton model, a three-bedroom, 1,450-square-foot ranch priced at $136,000. Since they are first-time buyers, they were able to secure below-market financing (a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with 1 point at 8.58 percent) through the builder and the Illinois Development Housing Authority.

``You`re supposed to be picky,`` Owens told the young couple.

``Everything looks pretty good to me,`` said Margaret, as the walk-through began in the kitchen. But on closer inspection, she and Kirk discovered some flaws, including a chip on a counter backsplash panel, which will be replaced, and several spots in need of touchup painting.

Kirk put a small piece of masking tape over each defect to mark it.

Owens demonstrated how to operate all the kitchen appliances. ``I`ve already run the dishwasher,`` she said, ``and it doesn`t leak.``

In the living room, she showed how to use the fireplace (be sure the flue is open) and how to remove the storm windows (a tricky maneuver).

Margaret spotted a long ridge running under the carpeting. ``We`ll check it out,`` said Owens. ``And if the floor creaks, we can fix the subfloor.``

In the basement, Owens covered such essential components as the furnace and sump pump, giving maintenance tips as she went along.

``After you`ve lived here awhile, you`re going to get settlement cracks and nail pops. That`s because the lumber has moisture in it that dries out. The wood shrinks, but the drywall doesn`t. We`ll fix them at the end of the first year,`` Owens said.

After the walk-through, Owens said: ``I`m extremely nit-picky when I go over a house before the walk-through, but I did miss a few things (on the Erickson home). On the other hand, it`s very difficult to control job damage, such as when a workman comes in to fix something after I`ve inspected the house and he makes a scratch by putting a hammer down on a counter.``

The bottom line: Twelve items were put on the new punch list, repairs that Owens said would be completed before the Ericksons moved in. Builders prefer to fix everything before the buyers take occupancy because of the difficulty in scheduling repairs afterward.

James Hughes Jr., partner of Wiseman-Hughes, said the building industry has become more concerned with consumerism in recent years. ``Builders have come to realize that happy customers sell homes for you. In a tough market, anybody with an edge will use it. And greater quality control benefits the buyer, too.``

One of the major lures of a new house - compared to an old one - is that it doesn`t come with old problems. So buyers expect perfection, yet they rarely find it. Even the most expensive homes usually require a few last-minute minor repairs. After all, homes are hand-built by dozens of

craftsmen using thousands of parts.

Recently, though, some builders have been shooting for perfection. One of them is Richmar Construction Co., which has instituted a ``zero walk-through`` program. Richmar will not close on a home until the buyer signs off on all work to be done.

``The purchaser will walk the home normally three weeks before closing so we have adequate time to resolve all their concerns,`` said Stephen Lane, president of the West Chicago-based building firm.

Ron and Peggy Safer recently bought a Richmar home at the Oakhurst subdivision in Aurora. Priced at $215,000, the two-story residence has 2,650 square feet of living area.

``At the walk-through, I was surprisd how close it was to move-in condition,`` Ron said. ``I had consulted a friend who is a builder, who told me what to look for - seams in the carpet, doors that swing one way or the other.``